Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-11-02

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The table below gives information about the five small companies in Britain that came top in a survey of staff conducted by a national newspaper to find out which companies are the best to work for.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

THE FIVE BEST SMALL COMPANIES TO WORK FOR

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The table illustrates five small companies in Britian to conclude that which company suits best for works by monitoring the staff conducted by the national newspaper.

Overall, in terms of staff numbers the 5th company has the highest employies, while the staff turnover was lowest in 1st company. Considerably male:female ratio has rose across all the five companies except the 4th one.

In terms of staff numbers the 5th company attracts the largest number of workers 190 as compared to others is 56, 79, 72 and 76 from 1st to 4th company. Male:female ratio was highest in 3rd company at 74:26 and lowest in 1st company 30:

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

The response identifies the table’s subject and reports some accurate comparisons, including the fifth company’s 190 employees and the first company’s lowest turnover. It also correctly notes that the third company has the highest male proportion. However, the overview is unclear and includes the unsupported claim that the male:female ratio “has rose across all” companies; the figures do not show a consistent rise. The response ends mid-comparison at “30:”, and omits key information such as age profiles and the high-income figures. It is also 43 words below the required minimum. To address the task more fully, complete the comparisons and select several major contrasts from across the table.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some basic organisation: an introductory sentence is followed by an overview and then a paragraph giving figures. Phrases such as “Overall” and “In terms of” help signal the purpose of each section. However, progression is limited because the response stops during the comparison of male:female ratios, leaving the final point incomplete and the table only partly covered. The overview’s statement about ratios rising is difficult to follow, and the repeated “In terms of staff numbers” adds little cohesion. Grouping related comparisons—for example, workforce size and turnover together, then gender and age—would make the sequence clearer. Use linking phrases to show contrasts accurately, rather than relying on a small set of repeated transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses some relevant task vocabulary, including “staff numbers,” “staff turnover,” “male:female ratio,” and “high” and “lowest” comparisons. This gives the reader a basic sense of the data being discussed. However, the range is limited, and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or awkward: “employies” is misspelled, “suits best for works” is unnatural, and “attracts” suggests recruitment rather than simply reporting employee numbers. “Considerably” is also not used naturally in the overview. Aim for precise, neutral language suited to describing a table, such as “employed,” “had the largest workforce,” and “the proportion of male staff.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more extended sentence forms, and the basic meaning of several comparisons can be understood. However, grammatical errors are frequent and sometimes make relationships unclear. For example, “to conclude that which company suits best” has an incorrect clause structure, while “the staff turnover was lowest in 1st company” is missing an article. The sentence “the 5th company attracts the largest number of workers 190 as compared to others is…” combines clauses without a clear grammatical link. The final sentence is incomplete, ending with “30:”. Practise complete sentence patterns for reporting figures, including articles and clear comparison structures, and check that every sentence has a finished main clause.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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